Pencil-sharpener



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

W. J. GILL. PENCIL SHARPENER.

1 I0. J=31,769. Patented July 8, 1890.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR:

l W -6 BY m ATTORNEYS.

(No Model.)

Patented Ju1y8,- 1890. A

A TTOFINE VS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

XVALTER J. GILL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

PENClL-SHARPENE R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,769, dated July 8, 1890.

' Application filed October 30,1889; Serial No. 328,689. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, ALTER J. GILL, a resident of Boston, in the county of Suifolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Pencil-Sharpeners, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to produce a simple, neat, cheap, substantial, compact, and efficient device of the character named which will sharpen all grades of pencils, either of graphite, crayon, soapstone, or slate material, mounted in wood or otherwise, without soiling the hands, which will catch the cuttings, and contain means for the ready sharpening of the cutting-blade when necessary.

To these ends my invention consists in features of construction and combinations of parts, which will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the, accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the device in position for use and a lead-pencil engaged therewith to sharpen it. Fig. 2is a side View of theimplement, aportion of its handle being broken awayto show the manner of connecting it to the stock of the device. Fig. 3 is a sideview of a modified form of the tool, havingits parts adapted to fold and be incased in asuitable receptacle forprotection, said box being shown in section with the sharpener within it. Fig. v

4 is an end view of the device and its cover, which is shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a slightlymodified form of the pencil-sharpener, which permits the handle to be folded on top of the stock which supports the cutting-blade, a chipreceiving box, that is also a cover for the folded handle and cutting-blade, being also shown in position for use as a chip-receiver. Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the form of the device shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a view in folded adjustment of the modified pencilsharpener shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Fig.8 represents another form of the device,in which the cutting-blade is adapted to be engaged by drawing the pencil on its upper face to produce shearing cuts on the end of the pencil and thus sharpen it; and Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a pencil-sharpener containing the dncing a diagonal offset at a.

general features of construction shown in the preceding figures, having the cutting-blade set upright for engagement of the pencil, as shown. I I

A is the stock of the pencil-sharpener. As represented, it is shaped as a rectangular block. Any suitable material may be employed,preference being given to hard wood, for the purpose. The front end of the stock A is cut away to afiord a convenient corner, as at i, and a projecting ledge t" for support of the device when in use by resting it on the front edge of a table or other similar place. The upper surface of the stock is reduced slightly from a to a?, forming a rest or table on which the pencil is laid when it is to be sharpened, this reduction of the body pro- The portion of the stock from a to the front end is covered with emery cloth, or a piece of steel plate cut with file-teeth may be substituted for the emery-covered fabric, this being utilized to finish the point of the pencil, and at h a strip of velvet or similar material is secured on the stock to serve as a brush for removal of the dust adhering thereto. At 0 a vertical shoulder is produced on the stock by cutting away the material squarely down to a point 0 and thence parallel to the lower surface to the edge 0 which affords a flange Whereon the stub-end enlargement B of the handle B is seated when these parts are joined, as shown in Fig. 1. As shown, the handle Bis made of convenient shape for its use, and its portion B is made to conform in width and,

thickness, so that when this part of the handle is secured to the stock there will be a smooth finish on the sides, the upper surface at a being level with the table a of the stock A. V

-' The handle and stock are held together by a dowel-pin k, which projects from the surface of the stock in alignment with a socketorifice m, (see Fig. 2,) which will allow these pieces to be slid together and render them substantial as one piece when they abut against each other, a reverse movement readily detaching them.

A diagonal shoulder is formed at c on the stub-end piece B,which serves as a guide for the pencil when it is being operated upon, and on the inclined face 6 a cuttingblade E is firmly secured by screws or rivets e. Said blade, from its position, will have its edge 0' so inclined to the surface of the table a a as to properly engage the portion 01 of a pencil D when it is drawn below it, and by proper manipulation the wood and lead or graphite point can be rapidly reduced to a conical shape.

In using the device successive shear cuts are made in imitation of the operation as performed by a skilled hand with a penknife. This device, however, renders the work of producing a fine regular tapering point a matter of easy and rapid execution.

on the side of the stock A a light sheetmetal open box D is secured in such a position that it will catch the cuttings as they are shaved from the pencil. On the lower surface of the stock A a hone-surface of fine emery or other preferred material (shown edgewise at f) is secured for the renewal of the edge of the blade E, which can be effected by removal of the handle and reversing the position of the stock to expose the hone-surface for use. I

In Figs. 3 and 4 the device is shown with a folding handle, it being hinged at n, so that when the handle is extended it will impinge squarely against the end of the stock and remain firm while in service if a downward pressure is had upon the supporting-table edge by the engaged ledge i. This handle is also made detachable, as before explained. The chip-holding box D is also hinged at 6 so that it may be folded on top of the blade E or be extended in position to catch the cuttings, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3.

A containing-case separable into two parts F F is provided for the folding implement, which will inclose it and afford a neat co'm-. pact device which may be carried in the pocket convenient for use at any time.

In Figs. 5 and 6 a modified form of the pencil-sharpener is shown. The object of this slight change in construction is to adapt the handle B to fold on the upper instead of the lower surface of the stock A, so that the chipbox D may be utilized as a cover for the cutting-blade E and folded handle, as shown in Fig. 7. The handleB is held extended by a hook n, which engages a stud M, as shown in Fig. 6, and the chip-box D, hinged at v r to the upper edge of the stock A at one side of the same, the box being of a suitable size to permit it to serve as a cover and inclose the parts, producing a compact neat arrangement of parts, which facilitates its carriage as a pocket implement.

In Figs. 8 and 9 the cutting-blade is shown attached so as to adapt the pencil to be drawn on the upper surface of the blade or against a nearly Vertical cutting-edge, the

pins 0' on these tools serving as guides for the pencil D when it' is drawn against the blade to reduce the material to a point by successive shearing cuts. These are a cheaper form of the first-described implement, but embody the same general features and operate in the same manner.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a pencil-sharpener, the combination, with a stock having a pencil rest or table formed on its top surface, a roughened pencil-pointing tablet on this top face near the table, and a chip-receiving box on the side of the stock, of a detachable handle and a cuttin g-blade attached to the handle so as to project therefrom and be adapted to shave a pencil-pointtapering by successive shearing cuts, substantially as set forth.

2. In a pencil-sharpener, the combination, with a nearly-rectangular stock having a ledge at one end and a dowel-pin connection at the other end, a table or pencilrest, a roughened point-sharpening tablet formed on the stock top surface near each other, and a chip-receiving box, of a detachable handle that is made to engage with the stock by the dowelpin connection, and a blade which is secured to the stub end of the handle and adapted to sharpen a pencil by shearing cuts successively effected, substantially as set forth.

3. In a pencil-sharpener, the combination, with an approximately rectangular stock having a pin-and-socket connection with a folding :handle, a table and pointing-tablet formed on its top face, and a ledge on its outer end, of a folding chip-receiving box placed on one side of the stock, ahandle that is adapted to fold on the stock orbe detached therefrom, and a shear-cuttin g blade attached to the handle and projected therefrom to sharpen a pencil by shearing cuts when the parts are adjusted for use, substantially as set forth.

4. In a pencil-sharpener, the combination, with an approximately rectangular stock, a handle connected therewith, a hinged chipsecuring box, and a shear-cutting pencilpointing blade which is attached to the handle and projects above the stock when in use, of a containing case or box which is separable and adapted to neatly receive the sharpening device, substantially as set forth.

WALTER .l. GILL.

Witnesses:

EDWIN I-I. DYER, A. PARKER NEWMAN. 

